Chapter 69: Chapter 69

[Ding!! Congratulations to the Host for completing the Family Mission: “The Empire is but a Speck in Your Palm!”]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward: Family Member Template — Son of Confucian Dao!]

[Son of Confucian Dao: Upon use, a Son of Confucian Dao will be born within the family, naturally blessed with the power of the Confucian path!]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward: Primordial Great Medicine — Leaf of Reversing Three Lifetimes!]

[Leaf of Reversing Three Lifetimes: A peerless ancient medicinal herb said to grow by the River of Time. Consuming it allows one to reverse their life and relive an entire lifetime!]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving the reward: Primordial Divine Art — Ten Ferocities: Kunpeng Technique!]

[Ten Ferocities: Kunpeng Technique: A technique born with the Kunpeng, one of the Ten Primordial Ferocities. Its speed dominates all realms and contains the profound mysteries of space. At mastery, one can break through worlds with a single step — the ultimate speed!]

[Congratulations to the Host for receiving: Family Luck +50,000]

[Ding! With the blessing of the Luck Golden Dragon, bonus Family Luck +50,000]

The continuous stream of system notifications in his ears lifted Su Zhou’s spirits immensely.

At this moment, the battle below had also entered its final stage.

Under the terrifying pressure of the Ten Thousand Serpents Dragon, the soldiers of the Tianhan Empire were already terrified to their core. Coupled with the death of their emperor…

The Tianhan Empire chose to surrender outright.

One aristocratic family after another, and even prominent noble families, now gazed reverently at the silhouette in the heavens.

Su Zhou stood atop the Azure Dragon, with the vast masses beneath him.

At this moment, the entire Tianhan Empire felt as though a divine being had descended from the heavens — a god amongst men!

“Su Zheng, look at this vast land that stretches for thousands of miles. What do you make of it?”

Su Zhou looked down upon all from above.

Behind him, a youth in his twenties stepped forward respectfully.

“Reporting to Family Leader — as I see this mighty realm, all I can feel is… the people’s suffering…”

The youth wore black robes, his long hair tied back. His features were delicate, yet his eyes resembled those of a dragon — and in his expression brewed an emerging dominance.

He gazed at the common people below, those utterly unaware of what had transpired, trembling in fear, hiding in their homes. In his deep, dark eyes, something seemed to be leaking out — emotion? Will? Power?

Su Zhou turned to Su Zheng upon hearing his response.

This young man had once been a member of the Tianwu Su Family, and his martial talent was never particularly remarkable. His current cultivation was merely at the seventh level of Meridian Unblocking.

Compared to freakish geniuses like Su Nan, or even other members of the Su Family, his cultivation wasn’t worth mentioning.

But he had a strange charisma. Around him, people would always gather, and he naturally became the center of any group.

Even fellow family members like Su Buku and Su Yang — who were also from the Tianwu Su Family — were willing to listen to his suggestions and arrangements.

Previously, Su Zhou hadn’t paid him much attention — until the moment Ten Thousand Serpents Dragon arrived over the skies of the Tianhan Empire.

Su Zhou suddenly sensed an imperial aura spreading among the family members.

It was then that he noticed Su Zheng. Just moments ago, upon witnessing the Tianhan Empire fall before the Su Family, as its rivers and mountains crumbled like a moon reflected on water…

Su Zheng awakened a forbidden bloodline divine ability.

Imperial Dao Sovereignty!

Imperial Dao Sovereignty: Cultivates alongside a nation. Sovereignty flows with the Yellow Springs, linking one’s cultivation to the fate of the nation. The stronger the national luck, the stronger the cultivator. Innately attuned to the path of kingship!

Originally, Su Zhou had still been deliberating on how to handle the Tianhan Empire — but now, the decision had become exceedingly simple.

“Yes… the people suffer. But that is the nature of the world — survival of the fittest. Heaven and Earth are heartless, treating all things as mere straw dogs².”

“In war between nations… everything becomes inevitable.”

“But — if you were the ruler of a nation, what would you do?” Su Zhou murmured.

Su Zheng blurted out without hesitation: “Sweep clean the realm! Dominate all under Heaven!”

Upon hearing this, even Su Zhou gave his family member another evaluating glance.

“Good!! From this day forward, you need not return to Lingxiao Blessed Land. You shall remain here, and from now on…”

“You shall be… an Emperor!”

Su Zhou’s voice rang out like a decree etched in stone.

“What!! Family Leader! But my cultivation… my strength—” Su Zheng was shocked.

“Behind you… is the Su Family. Is me.” Su Zhou looked calmly at the flustered youth.

“Everyone in the Su Family has their own path. Some suppress a region, some roam free beneath the skies, others chase dreams like a fleeting dream…”

“If the Su Family can embrace all paths, it certainly can accommodate a monarch who seeks to unify the world.”

“March boldly forward — walk your path. And all those flickering ghostly flames…”

“I alone shall extinguish them!” Su Zhou’s voice wasn’t loud — but at this moment, the heavens and earth fell eerily silent, as if even the firmament was leaning in to listen!

Su Zheng heard this and felt his eyes well up.

What virtue, what merit did I have to be born into the Su Family? To be favored by the Family Leader?!

He had been born into the Tianwu Su Family, but in his childhood, he had been displaced and even enslaved by another family. It was Su Zhou who emerged from seclusion and crushed all enemies, rescuing him.

In his heart, Su Zhou had made him everything he was. And now, he had given him a new destiny.

“I shall obey the Family Leader’s command!” Su Zheng bowed deeply, eyes filled with reverence — as if before a god.

Su Zhou nodded slightly at this.

“Congratulations, Family Brother…” Su Nan also looked at Su Zheng, his eyes filled with thought.

“Thank you, Family Brother.” Su Zheng returned the courtesy. After Su Zhou’s words, his mindset had undergone a complete transformation.

Even facing a peerless genius like Su Nan — who could slay Star Holding cultivators two entire realms above him — he remained calm as ever.

And Su Nan, looking at Su Zheng, felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

His memories were fragmented — sealed in the chaotic era of ancient war. He had forgotten most of his past.

But just now, when Su Zheng uttered “Sweep clean the realm, dominate all under Heaven,” Su Nan saw the shadow of someone through him.

He couldn’t remember who that person was — but he did remember one thing:

In the chaotic ancient age, among countless great families and sacred lands where royal dynasties were reduced to jokes…

A man once stood atop the divine mountain of Mount Tai, looking down on all living beings…

The rest — Su Nan couldn’t remember. There was no headache, no feeling of forgetting — just a complete void of recollection.

“Perhaps, I must seek… my own path.” Su Nan thought silently.

At this moment, Su Zhou paid no attention to their internal thoughts.

Instead, he brought both of them down from the heavens step by step, walking into the imperial palace.

Su Zheng followed behind, and in his eyes, dragon qi churned.

What followed was remarkably simple. The emperor was dead. The empire was headless. The most loyal ministers and generals had long perished in battle.

The remaining ones — now knelt in the royal hall like pigs and dogs.

Su Zhou led Su Zheng into the royal palace, pointing toward the lofty imperial throne.

“Go. This is the path you’ve chosen. Let me see… how far you can walk it.”

Upon hearing this, Su Zheng didn’t hesitate. He strode forward toward the throne.

Then — turned, and sat.

“From this day forth — I am the Emperor. Who dares object?!” Su Zheng’s voice was cold and boundlessly imposing.

The kneeling ministers exchanged glances — and shouted in unison: “Long live the Emperor! Ten thousand years without end!”

But Su Zheng didn’t even spare them a look. These spineless worms — they would be used for now, but in the future, they would be little more than dried bones.

He turned his respectful gaze toward Su Zhou and said: “This junior, Su Zheng, respectfully asks the Family Leader to grant a name to the new nation!”

Looking at Su Zheng’s solemn demeanor, Su Zhou felt a hint of satisfaction.

At this moment, the sovereign stood alone in the grand hall — seeking a name for his nation.

“The name I grant — is Great Qin!!” Su Zhou declared!

Then, a majestic voice echoed throughout the entire Tianhan Empire—

“Henceforth, the Tianhan shall fall. A new kingdom shall rise. The national name shall be…”

With Su Zhou’s words, the Ten Thousand Serpents Dragon let out a sky-shaking howl — welcoming the founding of the new nation.

Countless citizens stepped out of their homes, kneeling one by one, paying homage to their new sovereign.

Even powerful cultivators from all manner of sects bowed deeply before those blood moon-like eyes — prostrating fully before the new capital, fully submitting themselves.